Acerca de
About Us
Our Story
Big City Recording Studios is a commercial brick/mortar recording facility specializing in all types of acoustic music including jazz, classical, pop, rock, country, singer/songwriter, etc. Originally built in 1980, the studio was sold and remodeled in 1999. The basic structure of the studio remained the same, but the remodel updated the acoustics as well as created additional iso booth options. Eye contact is maintained in all areas of the studio.
​
One of the main attractions of the studio is the Yamaha C7 Concert Grand piano. Measuring in at 7'6", the low end and overall power of this piano is impressive. The action and regulation is maintained to factory specifications at all times. Many artists compliment the unusual warmth and presence of this particular C7. This is due to the voicing technique applied to make the tone a little warmer while still providing the clarity the C7 is known for especially when playing energetically.
​
The control room is especially suited for mixing and mastering with the tuned Tannoy FSM and Manley ML-10 speaker systems. And yes, we do have Yamaha NS-10s to make everyone feel at home!
​
The studio has a rich history of all types of recording artists spanning more than 40 years. We look forward to you becoming part of the studio's legacy.
Meet
the
Owner
Paul Tavenner
Paul's career as a recording engineer, producer, musician and educator spans more than 30 years and thousands of recordings. He is the owner of Big City Recording Studios in Granada Hills, CA, where he records and produces many styles of music including jazz, classical, pop, rock, dance, country, etc. His studio is a complete production facility where artists record, mix, master and shoot video for their projects.
Paul’s clients include world-class artists such as Ernie Watts, Peter Erskine, Jimmy Haslip, Larry Goldings, Kate Reid, Josh Nelson, Rachel Flowers, John Storie, New West Guitar Group, Sara Gazarek, Jane Monheit, Tina Raymond, Kathy Kosins, Bill Cunliffe, Alan Pasqua, Jeff Richman, John Proulx, Kamau Kenyatta, Stanley Clarke, Kenny Kotwitz, Quiet Riot, Sublime, Jerry Vale, Glen Campbell, Andre Previn, OperaWorks, Helen Slater, William Shatner, Judy Tenuta and many others. He has extensive experience recording and mixing music for film, TV and radio, and has held positions at Capitol Records, CBS-TV, The Post Group and Kitchen Sync Studios.
As a drummer, he has performed and/or recorded with The Ernie Watts Quartet, Ron Feuer, The Fifth Dimension, Citizen Kitten, Rachel Flowers RPM Trio, Lew Del Gatto, Suburban Alphabet, Dr. Wu and many others. He has performed at The Playboy Jazz Festival, The Hollywood Jazz Festival, Silverlake Music Festival, NoHo Music Festival, Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Oxnard Performing Arts Center, The Broad Stage Santa Monica and many others.
He has lectured at The University of Utah, Texas Tech University, South Plains Junior College, Musicians Institute and L.A. Music Academy (LAMA). He is on the music technology advisory board for Pierce College, is a mentor for Berklee College of Music alumni, and has extensive teaching experience as a private instructor for recording/mixing/mastering techniques and drum set. He teaches music production and engineering through a Meetup.com group called “Big City Recording Studio Workshop” and has over 150 members.
Paul's professional musical career began at age 16 as a drummer for many local music groups in Texas. In 1986, he graduated from Berklee College of Music in Boston, where he studied music production/engineering and performance. He has studied with Alan Dawson, Gary Chafee, Skip Hadden, Dean Anderson, Alan Shinn, Peter Erskine, Chad Wackerman, Jeff Hamilton, Tamir Hendelman and Joe LaBarbera. Additionally, his recording career has given him a unique opportunity to observe and learn from the world’s top drummers as he records them. Notables include Ricky Lawson, Ndugu Chancler, Joel Taylor, Peter Erskine, Joe LaBarbera, Vinnie Colaiuta, Steve Gadd, Tom Brechtlein, Will Kennedy, Eric Harland and many others.